STUDY OF THE ANTISEPTIC EFFICACY OF A QUICK DRYING RUBBING TYPE POVIDONE-IODINE ALCOHOLIC DISINFECTANT SOLUTION BY THE GLOVE JUICE METHOD

The antiseptic efficacy of HAD Hand Wash (83% ethanol containing 0.5% povidone-iodine) was investigated by the glove-juice method in 29 case s amongst staff members of our university. The number of viable bacter ia on the hands and fingers was counted three times, and the mean of t hese counts was used as the baseline value for each subject. The numbe r of viable bacteria on both hands was the same prior to disinfection. After the hands were disinfected by rubbing with 3 ml of HAD Hand Was h until it dried, the subjects put on sterile gloves. The number of vi able bacteria was counted on the right hand of all the subjects immedi ately after disinfection. The number of viable bacteria on the left ha nd was counted in 8 subjects 30 minutes after disinfection, and in 7 s ubjects each 1, 2 and 4 hours after disinfection. The bacteria were id entified by subculture. The ratio of bacteria sterilized (bacterial re duction rate) was 75.4% immediately after disinfection, and 69.0 71.9% , 35.8% and 27.6% at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours, respecti vely. All of the bacteria detected were Gram-positive bacteria that we re native to the sebaceous glands, sweat glands or skin surface; i.e. Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus, and Streptococcus. The frequenc y of detection of Staphylococcus warneri was the highest before disinf ection, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus homi nis, in that order. After disinfection, all these species showed a mar ked decrease in the number of bacteria. Micrococcus remained in half t he subjects, while other species remained in less than one third of th e subjects.